CRIMINAL VISITORS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIV, Issue 306, 24 December 1903, Page 2

CRIMINAL VISITORS.

The police report that Auckland is now being inundated with criminals from all parts of the colony, drawn hither by the fact that the city will be filled during the holidays by a country people, who have money to spend, and ■the race meetings will provide them with- excellent opportunities for working the confidence trick in its variety of clever guises. The undesirables are described as pick-pockets, house-break-ers, "bunko stealers," (confidencetricksters),, and thieves of all sorts. Visitors are strongly warned to beware of fresh friends, pushing their suggestions and advice; and residents who leave the city on holidays should be careful to secure their houses. POCKET-PICKING AT "THE MESSIAH." A correspondent, whose pocket was skilfully picked on Tuesday night, sends the following note as a warning to others: "Last evening I went to The Messiah' at the Choral Hall, A large number of visitors had assembled waiting for the doors to be opened, and of course there was a great crush when this was done. 1 was moved along _with the crowd and felt my coat being pulled, taking no notice of it at the time, as we were simply jammed together in getting through the doorway. But as soon as the crush was over, and I was inside, I discovered that I had been robbed of my purse from my trousers' pocket. It must have been done by an accomplished thief, and I believe a lady, as no men were very near mc at the time. Fortunately I had only between 20/ and 30/ in the purse.'"' A VILLA RAN SACKED. While Mr. R. M. Watt and his family were enjoying a holiday at Lake Takapuna last week thieves completely ransacked their residence in Cox's Bridge road, making a most minute search for money and small articles of value. Fortunately most of these had been taken to the Lake, and the haul was small, though a great deal of inconvenience was caused through the disorder created by overturned furniture and upset drawers. The children's money box was cleared, and a few pieces of jewellery taken. ALLEGED HOTEL ROBBERY. William Ashwin, one of the visitors to Auckland at present, complained I early this morning to the police about i what he considered to be an audacious robbery at his hotel. Swan Hotel, Par- j ncll. The complaint led to the arrest of I Annie Woods, a married woman, who j was charged this morning in the Police Court with stealing 15/ and a plug of tobacco from him. The magistrates were Messrs. J. M. Morran, J.P., and J. J. O'Brien, J.P. Ashwin's story was that he awoke up at four o'clock, hearing a noise in his bedroom, lie saw Mrs. Woods on the J floor with her hand in his trousers' pocket. She told him she must have en- [ tered the .wrong room by mistake, and she went out immediately. He found j 15/ and a plug of tobacco missing from [ his pockets, and at once called the ; police. The accused was found lying on j a bed in another room, fully dressed, i and in the room was the missing to- j bacco. ' I The evidence of Constable Spellnxan j was that he found IS/ on Mrs. Woods when she was arrested, and was told that this was the change of a £1 note changed at the Thames Hotel by a barman. The barman at/the Thames Hotel said no such transaction with the accused took place. Mr. J. R. Lundon, who defended, secured an adjournment until this afternoon to produce one of Mrs. Woods' sons, whom she alleged had given her i the money. j